Pakistan

Background

The overall goal of the project is to combat land degradation and desertification in Pakistan in order to protect and restore ecosystem and essential ecosystem services that are key to reducing poverty. The project will depend upon strong commitment of the Government of Pakistan and the involvement of key stakeholders, in particular those at the community level. The project will be implemented in two phases, with the first phase focused on creating an enabling environment for SLM and piloting innovation, and the second phase drawing lessons learned to deepen the policy and institutional commitment to SLM and completing demonstration projects that can later be scaled up and replicated.

Objectives

To strengthen institutional capacity, create an enabling environment and demonstrate good practices-all in an effort to help remove key barriers to Sustainable Land Management (SLM).

Key Achievements

Review of Agriculture and Water sector policies in the context of Sustainable Land Management (SLM) and UNCCD 10-Year Strategy in progress. 

National Forest Policy fully incorporates the principles of SLM and has been adopted by all regions of the country. 

The gap analysis report completed and circulated for peer review. Revised National Action Plan to incorporate emerging issues of climate change in national and sub-national sectoral planning.

National Criteria and Indicator (C&I) for SLM prepared. 

Two participatory targeted research projects launched to develop and disseminate innovative techniques to control land degradation and promote SLM. 

A Public-Private Partnership Project for   “Promotion of Drought and Disease resistant Varieties in Barani Tract of Punjab” launched. 

A project for “Strengthening Drought and floods Early Warning System in Pakistan” launched in collaboration with the Pakistan Meteorological Department. This initiative is considered of high priority in response to extreme events due to climatic changes.

Advocacy material prepared and widely disseminated to diverse target audience, including, parliamentarians, top decision making institutions, research and academia, civil society, community groups and international orgnisations. This has resulted in increased funding from the government resources budget to implement best practices for SLM.   

Participatory GIS based draft land use plans prepared for 20 villages covered by 9 pilot projects.

Draft guidelines for national level land use planning developed. Guidelines for village land use planning prepared and village community groups trained in the use of land use plans.